Would You Want To Live Forever?

Well, would you? For simplicities sake, it doesn't have to be til the end of time, as the Sun will have devoured the Earth by then. Let's instead base "forever" on either the length of either human's or Earth's existance. Let's further assume your aging will scale appropriately. A little time a helpless child, a little time a crippled old man/woman, the majority as a mobile, productive human being.

Quote: Face

Well, would you? For simplicities sake, it doesn't have to be til the end of time, as the Sun will have devoured the Earth by then. Let's instead base "forever" on either the length of either human's or Earth's existance.

I can't. The Earth should remain inhabitable for at least millions of years, most likely over 2 billion years. If we ahven't developed interstellar travel by then, I'd like to know the reason why.

Quote:

Let's further assume your aging will scale appropriately. A little time a helpless child, a little time a crippled old man/woman, the majority as a mobile, productive human being.

I'll buy that (for a dollar, even <g>)

It's simple: I want to know what happens next.

Quote: Nareed

It's simple: I want to know what happens next.

My prediction---man's desire to control each other creates an unending war that destroys us all.

Will "forever" be long enough to see the Cubs win the World Series?

Quote: Nareed

It's simple: I want to know what happens next.

This would be about the only thing I could agree on. It's the one reason I wished there was a Biblical afterlife so that we could look down on the Earth and watch after we're gone. But it seems like you'd have to endure quite a lot just for this priviledge.

Assuming other than "eternal" life that you were a normal human being, do you think you could really exist normally? After tens of thousands of your friends and family have come and gone, after experiencing the world's highest of highs and lowest of lows, don't you think you'd just burn out emotionally? After seeing so many of my loved ones come and go, I think it would change my perception of the value of human life.

My son is the shining beacon of my life. To think he'd just be one of thousands I might have, and to watch them all come in go in the blink of an eye of my life...I dunno if it'd be worth it. And even if I didn't have children, I'd assume to have friends, and the same would hold true. I picture my life to be much like the wise man on a mountain. Knows a hell of a lot, but has no personal connections. Just spends his time meditating on the knowledge he holds, for no real purpose.

Question - Does this mean I'd have to live the entire time, or if circumstances dictated, could I choose to off myself whenever I wanted? I ask this because I can see a scenario where society has gone to crap, I have no friends/family/harem left, there are no worthwhile distractions or interests left, and I'm helpless to change the situation.

In that scenario, what is there left to live for? Being forced to live through thousands or millions of years of a hopeless situation could be considered cruel & unusual punishment. (Somewhat along the plot lines of the Star Trek Voyager episode "Death Wish", where one of the Q wants to die, after having experienced everything in the universe.)

So if I could suicide if the situation got bad enough, then yes. If not, then no.

If your life force is recycled after you die, you have lived
forever already. What you mean is your ego and personality
living forever. Buddha says your ego doesn't exist, its an illusion,
constantly changing.

Quote: Face

This would be about the only thing I could agree on. It's the one reason I wished there was a Biblical afterlife so that we could look down on the Earth and watch after we're gone. But it seems like you'd have to endure quite a lot just for this priviledge.

If there was a Biblical-style afterlife, and therefore a Biblical-type omniscient god, I imagine gaining knowledge of the rest of the Universe would far outweigh any interest on the goings on on Earth after a few decades.

Quote:

Assuming other than "eternal" life that you were a normal human being, do you think you could really exist normally? After tens of thousands of your friends and family have come and gone, after experiencing the world's highest of highs and lowest of lows, don't you think you'd just burn out emotionally?

You keep adding conditions. I assume immortality, if possible, will be as common as medicine is today. That is to say, you'd be one immortal among many.

Of course there would be other complications...

If it's possible to have endless enthusiasm. I'm not so sure it's possible though.

Well, I do have more things to do than time to do them.

Though the world is on a downswing now (I don't mean the economy, I mean the spread of socialism and statism). But there will always be at least some good places left. Unless we go to WW3, which we of course will. Yeah, there's a lot of drawbacks to it.

Perhaps Heaven is dying and the lights go out forever.

Hell might be forced to live forever.

Maybe we got it backwards in the translation somewhere....

Seriously, living for an eternity is what attracts most folks to a religion - they all promise an infinite lifespan if you just follow their rules and throw in some bucks into the collection plate.

And you thought Santa Claus was just for little kids.............

I accept the reality of death because it is unavoidable.

BUT, were I able to avoid death and exist forever, I would choose that option without hesitation or reservation.

A viable alternative to personal annihilation: I'd most certainly call that very, very attractive.

No, I don't want to die, but die I must.

Were it only not so ...

Quote: MrV

I accept the reality of death because it is unavoidable.

Well, death is the end as far as we know. But if we do continue on anywhere, it appears that it is a one way trip. I don't believe there's any real evidence for coming back or communication with Earth. Which is why there is no reason to believe any Earth person's description of life after death.

And while there's no evidence for some continuation, if there is some continuation, I imagine all life forms end up the same way, because we're all constructed basically the same.

So, death could still be a door. But speculation beyond that is religion where specifics are claimed to be known.

Not me. i've seen enough. And it all boils down to the happenstance of falling in love. Once one ages to the point that only the food matters and an occasional gaming trip then living forever seems exhaustingly dull. To much hastle and fear associated with travel and where's the ambiance of "travel" these days? Europe is in trouble and the people are suffering. See the pyramids? Not now. The innocence and ambiance of the middle east of years ago is gone. There are to many people just around and seeking that which is elusive.

I do think though that there was a brief time in our history (within the last 100 years or so) where the fortunate could find all the ambiance the world had to offer. A time of innocense, vision, and hope for a peaceful and greater future and to be able to be a part of moulding that future while enjoying leisures to boot. But so much has changed. Now life is all in a cell phone or ipad-- And $$$-- if you don't have plenty no one wants or cares about your being around.

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When the ability to attract and win someone's love is over life begins to end. A fact I cannot escape.

September 11, 2001 changed me. I am a man without a country now. I did once have a glimpse of being a successful American with all the dreams one can reasonably want-- but I'm afraid it is truly gone for me.

So I kill time posting here now and then and after I post this I will --- lighten up !

When I ask this to people, their answers are usually just like many of these. They don't want to, because all their friends of family would come and go.

I think a better question is, would you want to live 100 years, with the youth and vitality of a 20 something the entire time? Or say 200 or 300? Perhaps at the end of your life, if you could choose to let yourself die or go another 100-300 years then would you want to?

With this type of question you have to assume there isn't an overpopulation problem. I think if it were a REALISTIC future scenario, most people would want to live. Eventually you might kill yourself, but I think a future society would allow that with no problems after a certain age.

Quote: Nareed

I can't. The Earth should remain inhabitable for at least millions of years, most likely over 2 billion years. If we ahven't developed interstellar travel by then, I'd like to know the reason why.

Because of the speed limit ..

As to the question, sure, why not? And no, I would not burn out emotionally ... not anymore than I already have. Emotions are overrated anyways. Friends will be gone - so what? If you need friends, you'll make new ones. If you don't, then ... well, you won't.

Forever? No.

But to live in relative health for an extended period of time, to be ended rather suddenly and painlessly at a time of my own choosing, would be highly desireable.



For what it's worth, I don't think people have a fear of death. They have a fear of the process of dying.

Quote: DJTeddyBear

Forever? No.

But to live in relative health for an extended period of time, to be ended rather suddenly and painlessly at a time of my own choosing, would be highly desireable.



For what it's worth, I don't think people have a fear of death. They have a fear of the process of dying.

Nope, I'm afraid of being dead.

Quote: scire

Not me. i've seen enough... Once one ages to the point that only the food matters and an occasional gaming trip then living forever seems exhaustingly dull.

I still experience moments of profound joy triggered by the unexpected.

Saturday, with dusk approaching and a light to moderate rain falling, I opened the front door and looked outside.

The view struck me as incredibly beautiful, the damp colors blending into an image reminiscent of an Impressionist painting.

There is much yet to come, much of it very good indeed.

Quote: Wupper

Will "forever" be long enough to see the Cubs win the World Series?

I would have said "probably not," but the Mets finally got a no-hitter, so it could happen!

I said "no" to living forever, but I might change my mind if you added a condition that my money would also last forever. I haven't saved enough for beyond age 100. :P

I think the world would be an awful place if people could live forever. There would be no reason to respect life and how fragile it is. Christmas with 100 generations of people to buy gifts for would be downright awful and where would we have the family reunions?